Finding Community as a Young Mom

Finding Community as a Young Mother

Finding community as a mother is important and can be life changing. When my oldest son was born, I didn’t know any other young mothers. Even in my rural community where marriages and births usually happen earlier than in larger towns and cities, I didn’t have many friends in the same stage of life as I. After about six weeks of being at home with my little one, I decided it was time to get out and try to meet some other young mommas. I joined a Community Bible Study and was placed in the nursing mother’s core, where I was immediately surrounded by those that I was hoping to find. Other young moms, some older, and I gathered every week to study the Bible, but we were also able to connect by sharing about our struggles and successes as mommas. It was one of the best things that I have done, and I still have dear friends from among that group of women.

Why Young Mothers Need Community

Why is community important? Why should young mothers seek community? How can a momma find community in a new area? How can we encourage one another in motherhood? Let’s work through some of these questions and find the answers together.

For Support

We can’t do it alone, this mothering thing. Often, we think we can, especially with our first baby. We think we’ve got it under control, and we might for a while. But I promise you, there will come a day when you need the support of other mothers. You need to have some other women whom you trust, who will let you cry on their shoulders, those who won’t mind a midnight call when you can’t figure out what to do.

For Encouragement

In those moments when we don’t know what to do, we need support AND encouragement. We need women who will remind us of the hope that we have in Christ, the hope of eternity; the hope of a future beyond diapers and sleepless nights.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

For Sharpening

As Christian mothers we need to have a community that sharpens us and strengthens us in our walk with Christ. We need others to point us to the truth of Scripture when we get lost in all the self-help books, mom blogs, and magazine advice. We need a place to bring our questions about God, faith, and life in general where we know that we will get sound advice and prayer.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:15

For Training

In Titus 2 older women are told to encourage younger women to love their husbands and children, to keep the home, self-controlled, pure, and submissive to their husbands. I don’t know about you, but usually I think that means that I need to look for someone older than me, but the thing is, I know lots of women who are younger than I, women who I can start training in these things. I’m becoming the older women that Paul is talking about. We need community where we can pour into others that things that we know and that we are working on, so that together all of grow into the women that God wants us to be.

Where Young Mothers Can Find Community

Finding community as a young momma can be hard, especially for those who move often: maybe your spouse is in the military, you and your family live and travel in a RV, or you just like to move. So how can you find community when you are in a new area? How can you find those others to connect with when your friends aren’t in the same stage of life as you?

Church and Bible Studies

Get involved in a local church. It may take a while to find one that you and your spouse agree on, but you NEED to have a local church family.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Many churches offer some form of mom’s group. If the church doesn’t have their own group, they may allow other outside groups and Bible Studies to come in during the week. Some of the most popular that I have heard of are:

Moms of Preschoolers {MOPS}

Community Bible Study {CBS}

Bible Study Fellowship {BSF}

These groups usually run ads in the local papers, or have Facebook groups for each location that they have.

Local Mom’s Groups

You can also look for local mom’s groups at parks, libraries, and coffee shops. Some offer weekday outings, others meet for coffee every couple of weeks, and still others meet whenever someone plans something.

Facebook and Instagram

Finally, you can find community online, with the most popular spaces being Instagram and Facebook. While I don’t think all of your community needs can be met in online spaces, they can be helpful for many, especially those who move frequently or cannot leave the house often for various reasons.

Join the Christian Moms of Littles Facebook Group and Enter to Win an AMAZING Giveaway.

I’ve recently partnered with four other amazing bloggers to start a Facebook group called Christian Moms of Littles. Here is the goal and purpose behind our group, along with the group rules {written by Rebekah Hargraves}:

“As beautiful and sacred as motherhood is, it’s also incredibly hard. If you are anything like us, then you have likely felt terribly blindsided at one moment or another by just how challenging these little years can be. That is precisely why we began the “Christian Moms of Littles” FB group – we want this to be a warm, encouraging, uplifting, helpful place where you can come and share your heart, pouring out your struggles and frustrations, asking your pressing mothering questions, seeking prayer for when the going gets tough, and finding camaraderie in those who are in the same season as you. So, welcome, mama of littles. You’re safe here. You’re seen here. You’re understood here. And, Lord willing, you’ll be inspired and consistently pointed back to Christ here. Oh, and if you’re a mama of older kids with a heart for mentoring and helping us younger ones, you’re welcome here, too! Sometimes we need all the help and wisdom we can get!

RULES:

~No affiliate links (unless you are an admin)
~No profanity allowed in any posts (posts containing profanity will be deleted)
~No topic is off-limits (we’re all going through very similar things, anyway!)
~No unsolicited MLM advertisements

WHAT TO EXPECT:

~Posts to encourage moms of young kids
~natural living tips and tricks
~recipes
~And more!

IF YOU ARE A BLOGGER OR AUTHOR:

~Please take advantage of our “Monday Mentoring” time in the group where you can feel free to share your own blog posts, book links, etc.! We want this to be a great start to the week where we can encourage and learn from one another! Self-promoting your work on any other day will be deleted, however. Please take advantage of the specific time we have set aside for you to share!

~Please feel free to share other people’s work any day of the week!”

What You Could Win

As we are celebrating launch week this week, we also want to give you a chance to win these books:

Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jancovic

Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full by Gloria Furman

Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer

Lies Moms Believe and How the Gospel Refutes Them {ebook} by Rebekah Hargraves

AND a journal to record what you are processing and learning through the amazing books!

The giveaway runs 12/4/17-12/9/17 and the winner will be drawn and announced in the group on 12/10/17. It is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook. The giveaway is open to moms ages 18 and up who live in the contenential United States.

Let’s Connect

Hi I'm Rebekah!
Married to my best friend since 2009. Momma to three handsome little men and hoping to be surviving toddlerhood for many more years. :-)
I'm so glad that you are here! Here you will find encouragement for your momma heart, allergen free recipes, tips for healthy and natural living, and more!
I am passionate about support for mommas during their pregnancy, labor, and the first year postpartum, and I pour that passion into my work as a birth and postpartum doula.
Thanks for stopping by! If you have any questions feel free to email me at rebekah@survivingtoddlerhood.com